Driving a van through the Blackwall Tunnel and Silvertown Tunnel is already an expensive part of doing business in East London. From 21 September, increased charges make it that bit more costly for drivers who use either crossing five or six times a week. If you’re already managing high fuel, insurance, and MOT costs, this toll rise might bring you to a decision point: keep persevering with your old van, or is it time to move on? Here’s what’s changing, what it really costs to keep an ageing van on the road, and how to make the call with confidence.

What’s Actually Changing From 21 September

Here’s the full breakdown of the new Auto Pay charges at both tunnels:

A few things worth knowing alongside the new prices:

• Peak hours stay the same: 6am–10am northbound, 4pm–7pm southbound, Monday to Friday.
• Charges apply daily, 6am to 10pm, including weekends — every day except Christmas Day.
• The rise looks small (around 5%) on a single crossing, but for a van operator making the trip most working days, it adds up to a real annual sum.

Why This Hits Newham Van Owners That Bit Harder

Newham sits right at the centre of this change. The Silvertown Tunnel itself runs from the Newham side of the river straight to the Greenwich Peninsula, which means vans and solo operators based in Stratford, Canning Town, East Ham, and the wider borough are often crossing multiple times a day without a second thought.

There is some relief available: local residents and some smaller businesses or sole operators registered in the borough may qualify for discounted off-peak tolls. A discount reduces the bill, but it doesn’t remove it — the underlying issue of an old van becoming more expensive to run in London stays the same, just at a smaller scale.

If you’re based in Stratford or elsewhere in the borough and you’re weighing up your options, it helps to look at the full cost picture rather than the toll increase in isolation. Operators just across the water in Canary Wharf, Tower Hamlets, Barking, and Ilford are facing the same squeeze, since many of the same routes and crossings apply.

The Real Cost of Running an Old Van Right Now

Toll charges are just one line item. The bigger financial picture for an ageing van comes from several directions at once:

• Fuel and efficiency: Older diesel vans typically burn more fuel per mile than a newer equivalent. Over months of regular use, that efficiency gap can outweigh the toll increase itself.
• London ULEZ charge: A toll rise doesn’t replace the daily ULEZ charge — it stacks on top of it for any non-compliant van.
• MOTs and repairs: As a van ages, suspension, exhaust, and electrical systems wear down and need attention more often — usually at the least convenient moment.
• Insurance: Some insurers raise premiums on older vans, reflecting the higher likelihood of breakdown.

Add these up alongside the new tunnel charges, and the true cost of keeping an old van on the road in Newham is rarely just about the toll booth.

Signs Your Van Has Reached the End of the Road

Not every old van is a lost cause — plenty are still reliable workhorses. But a combination of the following is a strong signal that it’s time to weigh up your options:

• It failed its last MOT, or only barely scraped through
• Repair costs over the past year have exceeded the van’s value
• It breaks down more than once every couple of months
• It doesn’t meet ULEZ standards, meaning a daily charge just to drive it
• Fuel efficiency has noticeably dropped since you bought it

Keep It Running or Replace It? How to Decide

There’s no single right answer — it depends on how reliable and cost-efficient your specific van still is. Use this checklist to work through the decision:

The simplest test: keep the van for as long as it makes financial sense, and reassess honestly once it stops paying for itself.

Conclusion

On its own, the toll rise at the Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels is a modest adjustment. For Newham van owners already managing rising fuel prices, ULEZ charges, and repair bills, though, it’s another cost stacking on top of the rest. If your van is still earning its keep, a few extra pence per crossing shouldn’t change much. But if you’ve had a nagging feeling that your van has been getting less profitable for a while, this is a good prompt to actually run the numbers.

When the maths says it’s time, Brits Car Breakers makes the switch easy. As a licensed Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF), we offer free, same-day scrap van and car collection across Newham and every London borough, pay competitive, market-rate prices on the spot via secure bank transfer, and handle all DVLA paperwork — issuing your Certificate of Destruction within 7 days. We also collect vans that have failed their MOT as-is, whatever the fault.

Get a free, no-obligation quote today — book your collection or call +44 7506 646552.